Creative types sought to become a part of the new Boutport Street Studios

People, organisations and businesses are being invited to register their interest in becoming part of the refurbished ‘creative hub’ at 36-37 Boutport Street in the centre of Barnstaple.

North Devon Council wants to hear from those who might like to set up their business or enterprise at the new Boutport Street Studios which will provide offices, flexible workspaces and studio spaces when it is finished in spring next year.

The renovation is part of the council's Market Quarter project and is being carried out with funding from the government's Future High Streets Fund and Cultural Development Fund.

The council says it will create inspiring workspaces and the chance to be part of a community of like-minded creative people.

READ MORE: New Flourishing Barnstaple signs costing £20,000 sought for town centre

The premises at 36 Boutport Street will become a centre for cultural activity, while 37 will be a new build incorporating affordable housing and employment units around a central arcade walk-way from the Barnstaple Central car park to the town centre.

The council says with its location opposite the Queen’s Theatre and close to the Pannier Market, the development is in the perfect location to encourage creative co-operation.

The upper floors will provide ‘fluid workspaces’ for the creative industries sectors, including arts, culture and digital, among others. The rentable spaces will include unfurnished shared workspaces, furnished co-worker spaces and meeting/event spaces.

The ground floor will be an open plan space, which will operate as an art and culture café and events space, supporting the tenants and may include front of house or reception provision for the studios and events space, as well as evening use.

Meanwhile, 37 Boutport Street will have 11 individual ground floor workshop units either side of a central arcade, leading from Barnstaple Central car park towards the town centre.

It will be managed by the council and the final operational plans, including setting of rents, details of support to be provided and calculations of service charges will depend on the interest received and the mix of tenants who come forward.

North Devon Council's lead member for economic development and regeneration, Councillor Malcolm Prowse said: “We are at a really exciting stage in the Boutport Street Studios development, and are ready to welcome expressions of interest that will help us transform these buildings into a vibrant, enterprising, evolving space to support cultural uses in the centre of Barnstaple.

“Culture means different things to different people so we are open-minded on exactly how this space will ultimately be used. We welcome creative ventures in everything from fine art, fashion design, architecture, copy writing, digital media, ceramics and much more to be part of our community.”

Full information is available on the North Devon Council website. Those interested in expressing an interest should email propertysevices@northdevon.gov.uk or call 01271 388377. Anyone who responded previously will be contacted directly.